Multiple position feed mechanism



April 26, 1966 w. E. HAPPEL 3, 0

MULTIPLE POSITION FEED MECHANISM Filed Nov. 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FBI lLS ms INVENTOR WILLIAM E. HA PPEL TTORNEY United States Patent 3,247,620 MULTIPLE POSITION FEED MECHANISM William E. Happel, Waynesboro, Pa., assignor to Landis Tool Company, Waynesboro, Pa. Filed Nov. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 324,070 7 Claims. (Cl. 51-105) Thisinvention relates to grinding machines, particularly to machines for successively grinding axially spaced portions of a workpiece.

In workpieces of this type, the portions may .vary in diameter by an amount such that one ormore smaller portions may be beyond the range ofthat. portion of the feed mechanism whichadvances the grinding .wheel during a grinding operation. With such variations in workpiece diameter, the feed mechanism would ordinarily be adjusted or repositioned manuallyfor the small portions ,and then reset again for the large portions.

It is, therefore, an object of the presentinvention to provide means for extending the range of a grinding feed actuating mechanism.

Another object is to provide means separate from the grinding feed actuating mechanism to adjust the feed mechanism so that when actuat-edbythet grinding feed actuating mechanism,.the grinding wheel will grind a workpiece portion of a diameter which would normally be beyond the range of said grinding feed actuating mechanism.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic showing of the essential elements of the machine along with the hydraulic circuit.

FIG. 2 is an elementary electrical diagram.

Numeral 10 indicates the bed of the machine. Work carriage 11 is slidably mounted on bed 10 and hasa headstock 12 and a footstock13 mounted thereon for rotatably supporting workpiece W. Wheelbase .20 ismounted on bed 10 for movement toward and from carriage 11. Grinding wheel 21 is rotatably mounted on wheelbase 20.

Means for effecting a traverse movement of carriage 11 consists ofa cylinder 30 attached to said carriage, a piston 31 slidably mounted in cylinder'30 and having a pair of oppositely extending piston rods32 and 33. Piston rod 32 is attached to bed. 10 by means of support member 34. Piston rod 33 is attached to bed 10 by means of support member 35.

Carriage 11 may be positioned axially for grinding the various portions of a workpiece by means of a spacing bar 40 having notches 41 and plunger.42 .for engaging said notches. The lower end of plunger 42 consists of apiston 43 in cylinder 44 and a spring45 for urging piston 43 and plunger 42 upwardly.

The means for advancing grindingwheel 21 toward and from workpiece W consistsof a rapid feed piston 50 threaded to feed screw 51 and slidable in cylinder '52. The forward end 53 of feed screw 51 engages a worm gear or pinion 54 on one end of shaft55. Shaft 55 is rotatably supported in wheelbase 20. The other end of shaft 55 has a worm wheel 56 in operative engagement with worm 57 which is connected through suitable gearing to hand wheel 58. Pinion 60 on one end of worm 57 engages rack 61. Rack 61 is connected by means of piston rod 62 to piston 63 in cylinder 64. Worm 57 and hand wheel 53 may be disconnected from pinion 60 and rack 61 as shown in co-pending application, Serial No. 211,937, filed July 16, 1962, now Patent No. 3,192,675, dated July 6, 1965.

The other end of feed screw 51 extends beyond piston 50 and has a Worm wheel 70 slidably mounted thereon. Worm or screw 71 is in threaded engagement with worm wheel 70. Screw 71 has a piston 72 at one end in cylinder 73 and at the other end a piston 74 in cylinder 75. Piston 74 has a piston rod 76 extending beyond cylinder '75 androtatably supported at its outer end in bed 10.

Worm wheel 80 attached to piston rod .76.is part of a fine feed mechanism for rotating feed screw 51 and advancing grinding wheel .21 for a finish grinding operation.

' Operation Closing start switch completes a circuit to energize relay CRM and hydraulic pump motor relay 2M.

Relay contacts CRMl and CRM2 close to connect the entire electrical circuit with a source of power.

Pressure switch lPS is closed by pressure in the hydraulic system to hold relay CRM and hydraulic pump motor relay 2M after start switch 100 is released.

Hydraulic pump motor relay 2M is stopped by stop switch 101 and relay CRM.

Wheelbase-backlimit switch 8L8, which is closed with wheelbase 20 in back position, completes a circuit to energize relay 12CR. 7

Normally closed relay contact 12CR1 is opened in the circuit to headstock motor relay-IMF. This keeps headstock motor from running.

Relay contact 12CR2 closes in the circuit to plunger relay 41CR.

With carriage '11 in position to grind the #2 portion of the workpiece, limit switch17LS isclosed, energizing to infeed relay -9CR.

Wheelbase-in limit switch 7LS is closed by an infeed lever (not shown) to energize relay 10CR.

Relay contact 10CR1 closes to complete a circuit to infeed relay 9CR.

Relay contacts 9CR2 and 9CR3 close to energize infeed solenoid 4 to shift infeed valve to the right to start the rapid advance of wheelbase 20.

Relay contact 9CR1 is a holding contact.

The advancing wheelbase 20 closes feed start limit switch 9LS to complete a circuit throughnormally closed timer relay contact TR1 to energize slow'feed relay 15CR and relay contacts 15CR1 and 15CR2 to energize slow feed, solenoid 6 to startthe grinding feed.

Wheelbase-back limit switch SLS opens to deenergize relay 12CR and close normally closed relay contact 12CR1 to complete a circuit through normally closed reverse relay contact 1MR1 to start headstock motor 110 through headstock motor relay IMF.

At the endof thegrinding feed, feed completion limit I switch 12LS closes to energize timer relay TR.

After a predetermined interval for a sparkout, normally closed timer relay contact TR1 opens to deenergize slow feed relay 156R and slow feed solenoid 6.

At the same time, normally closed timer relay contact TRZ opens to deenergize infeed relay 9CRand infeed solenoid 4 for resetting both the rapid feed and slow feed with exhaust from the head end of slow feed cylinder 64 passing through check valve 65 and infeed valve 120.

.Withwheelbase 20 in back position, wheelbase-back limit switch 8LS completes a circuit to relay 12CR.

Normally closed relay contact 12CR1opens to deenergize headstock motor relay IMF and headstock motor 110.

Normally closed relay contact 1MF4 closes to energize reverse relay lMR to stop headstock motor 110.

Normally closed reverse relay contact 1MR1 opens in the circuit to headstock motor relay 1MP.

Relay contact l-2CR2 completes a circuit through normally closed relay contact 5CR1 to energize plunger relay 4'1CR, closing relay contacts 41CR1 and 41OR2, and energizing plunger solenoid 1'6 to retract plunger 42.

Carriage 11 may be traversed left or right manually or automatically by relay contacts 440111 and 44CR2 or by relay contacts 45OR1 and 45OR2 and solenoids 17 and 18 respectively, to place the next portion of workpiece W in grinding position. -In this case, solenoid 17 is energized and carriage L1 is moved to the left to place the #1 portion of the workpiece in grinding position. The #1 portion is smaller in diameter than the preceding portion.

When carriage '11 moves into position to place the #1 portion of workpiece W in grinding position, normally closed relay contact SSCRd is opened to deenergize plunger relay 41-CR and opening relay contacts 41CR1 and 41CR2 to deenergize plunger solenoid 16 and release plunger 42 into a notch 41.

When carriage I I is in portion to grind the #1 portion of the workpiece, limit switch 16LS closes to energize relay 490R.

When carriage 11 leaves the position for grinding the #2 portion of the workpiece, limit switch =17LS opens to deenergize relay 500R and close normally closed relay contact 50CR1 in the holding circuit to wheelbase positioning relay 140R.

Plunger limit switch 13LS closes to energize relay 420R.

Relay contact 42CR'1 closes in the infeed circuit.

Relay contact 42C R'2 completes a circuit through relay contact 49C'R1 to energize wheelbase positioning relay 14CR.

Relay cont-act 14CR 1 holds relay 14CR through normally closed relay contact 50OR1.

Relay contacts 14CR2 and 14CR3 close to energize wheelbase positioning solenoid 5.

Solenoid 5 shifts wheelbase positioning valve 130 to the right to direct lflllid to the right hand end of wheelbase positioning cylinder 73 to shift wheelbase positioning piston 72 to rotate feed screw 51 to change the starting position of the slow or grinding feed.

Movement of piston 72 closes positioning reset limit switch SLS.

When the infeed lever (not shown) closes wheelbasein limit switch 7LS, relay contact |10CR1 completes the infeed circuit to energize infeed relay 90R.

The advance movement of piston 72 opens positioning advance limit switch 6L8 and closes positioning reset limit switch SLS, so that the positioning operation must be completed before rapid infeed can take place.

The grinding feed mechanism then feeds grinding wheel Q1 to feed completion on the smaller work portion.

After the #1 portion of the workpiece has been ground, grinding wheel '21 is retracted and carriage 11 is returned to the position for grinding the #2 portion of the workpiece.

Withdrawal of plunger 42 from a notch 41 to permit the return of carriage 11, deenergizes relay 420R by opening plunger limit switch 13LS.

Relay contact 42CR-1 opens to deenergize infeed relay 90R to retract the rapid and slow feed mechanisms.

=Relay contact 4-2CR2 opens to deenergize wheelbase positioning relay 14CR and solenoid 5 to direct fluid to the rod end of cylinder 75, shifting piston 74 to the right to reset piston 72 against adjusting screw 77.

While this invention is disclosed in connection with a machine for grinding axially spaced portions of a workpiece of different diameters, it is to be understood that it may be used for grinding other types of work not necessarily cylindrical or rotatable, where it is desirable to grind first to one dimension and then to change the setting of the deed mechanism to grind another dimension. It is also to be understood that this invention may be modified in structure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a grinding machine for grinding axially spaced portions of a workpiece, a work support, a grinding wheel support, a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on said wheel support, a feed mechanism for moving said wheel support :toward and from said work support, means to effect a relative longitudinal movement between said work support and said wheel support to position successive workpiece portions of different diameters in operative rela tion with said grinding wheel, a feed screw, a screw engaging member in operative relation with said feed screw, means to actuate said screw engaging member to advance said wheel support to grind a workpiece portion to a predetermined diameter, and means responsive to said longitudinal movement to actuate said feed screw to change the relation between said feed screw and said screw engaging member to position said wheel support to grind a workpiece portion of a different diameter.

- 2. In a grinding machine for grinding axially spaced portions of a workpiece, a work support, a grinding wheel support, a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on said wheel support, means to eflect relative longitudinal movements between said supports to successively position said portions for grinding, a feed mechanism for moving said wheel support toward and from said work support including a feed screw, a screw engaging member in operative relation with said feed screw, means to actuate said screw engaging member to advance said wheel support to grind a workpiece portion to a predetermined diameter, and means operable by movement of said work support into position to present a certain workpiece portion to the grinding wheel to actuate said feed screw a predetermined amount relative to said screw engaging member to position said wheel support so that upon operation of said screw engaging member, said wheel support will be advanced through a diiferent zone to grind said workpiece portion to a different diameter.

3. In a grinding machine for grinding axially spaced portions of a workpiece, a work support, a grinding Wheel support, a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on said wheel support, a feed mechanism for moving said wheel support toward and from said work support comprising a feed screw, a screw engaging member in operative relation with said feed screw, means to actuate said screw engaging member to advance said wheel support to grind a workpiece portion to a predetermined diameter, and means operable in a selected longitudinal position of said work support to actuate said feed screw a predetermined amount relative to said screw engaging member to position said wheel support so that when actuated by said screw engaging member actuating means, said wheel sup port will be advanced through a different range to grind a workpiece portion of a different diameter.

4. In a grinding machine for grinding axially spaced portions of a workpiece, a work support, a grinding wheel support, a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on said wheel support, a feed mechanism for moving said wheel support toward and from said work support comprising a feed screw, a screw engaging member in operative relation with said feed screw, means to actuate said screw engaging member to advance said wheel support to grind a workpiece portion to a predetermined diameter, and means operable automatically to change the relation between said feed screw and said screw engaging member so that when said screw engaging member is actuated, it will advance said wheel support to grind a workpiece portion to a difierent diameter.

5. In a grinding machine for grinding axially spaced portions of a workpiece, a work support, a grinding wheel support, a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on said wheel support, a feed mechanism for moving said wheel support toward and from said work support, means to effect a relative longitudinal movement between said work support and said wheel support to position successive workpiece portions in operative relation with said grinding wheel, a feed screw, a screw engaging member in operative relation with said feed screw, means to actuate said screw engaging member to advance said wheeel support to grind a workpiece portion to a predetermined diameter, and means to actuate said feed screw a predetermined amount to change the position to which said screw engaging member advances said wheel support.

6. In a grinding machine for grinding axially spaced portions of a workpiece, a work support, a grinding wheel support, a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on said wheel support, means to effect relative longitudinal movement between said supports to successively position said workpiece portions for grinding, a feed mechanism for moving said wheel support toward and from said work support including a feed screw, a screw engaging member in operative relation with said feed screw, means to actuate said screw engaging member to advance sa-id wheel support to grind a workpiece portion to a predetermined diameter, and means to actuate said feed screw a predetermined amount relative to said screw engaging member whereby said screw engaging member will advance said wheel support through a ditlerent zone to grind another workpiece portion to a different diameter.

7. :In a grinding machine for grinding axially spaced portions of a workpiece, a work support, a grinding wheel support, a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on said wheel support, a feed mechanism for moving said wheel support toward and from said work support comprising a feed screw, a screw engaging member on said wheel support in operative relation with said feed screw, means to move said feed screw to advance said wheel support to grind a workpiece portion to a predetermined diameter, and means operable automatically to change the relation between said feed screw and said wheel support so that when said feed screw is moved, it will advance said wheel support to grind a workpiece portion to a difierent diameter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,017,927 10/1935 Steiner et al. 51105 2,486,244 10/1949 Balsiger et 'al. 5 1165.03 2,708,816 5/ 1955 Balsiger 51-105 2,710,495 6/ 1955 Green 51165.03

LESTER M. SWLNGLE, Primary Examiner. 

7. IN A GRINDING MACHINE FOR GRINDING AXIALLY SPACED PORTIONS OF A WORKPIECE, A WORK SUPPORT, A GRINDING WHEEL SUPPORT, A GRINDING WHEEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID WHEEL SUPPORT, A FEED MECHANISM FOR MOVING SAID WHEEL SUPPORT TOWARD AND FROM SAID WORK SUPPORT COMPRISING A FEED SCREW, A SCREW ENGAGING MEMBER ON SAID WHEEL SUPPORT IN OPERATIVE RELATION WITH SAID FEED SCREW, MEANS TO MOVE SAID FEED SCREW TO ADVANCE SAID WHEEL SUPPORT TO GRIND A WORKPIECE PORTION TO A PREDETERMINED DIAMETER, AND MEANS OPERABLE AUTOMATICALLY TO CHANGE THE RELATION BETWEEN SAID FEED SCREW AND SAID WHEEL SUPPORT SO THAT WHEN SAID FEED SCREW IS MOVED, IT WILL ADVANCE SAID WHEEL SUPPORT TO GRIND A WORKPIECE PORTION TO A DIFFERENT DIAMETER. 